An example of such an optoelectronic component is illustrated in FIG. 3. The design shown in FIG. 3 is described in more detail in, for example, the article entitled “SIEMENS SMT-TOPLED für die Oberflächenmontage” [SIEMENS SMT-TOPLED for surface mounting] by F. Möllmer and G. Waitl in the journal Siemens Components 29 (1991), Issue 4, pages 147–149, and illustrates an optoelectronic component produced using surface mounting technology (SMT).
An optoelectronic transmitter such as an LED 2, for example, is mounted with one of its electrical contact surfaces on a conductor ribbon 5a that is connected to a pole of a voltage source, while an opposite conductor ribbon 5b, connected to the other pole of the voltage source, is connected to the other electrical contact surface of the LED 2 by a bonding wire 6. A carrier body 1 made from a high temperature resistant thermoplastic is formed by injection molding about the conductor ribbons 5a, 5b, there being formed in the carrier body 1 a recess 1A into which the LED 2 arranged on the conductor ribbon 5a projects. The recess 1A of the carrier body 2 is filled with a transparent filling material 3 in order to embed the LED 2 therein protectively.
In order to change the radiation characteristics an optical element such as, for example a lens 4 is, as illustrated in FIG. 3, arranged on the surface 3B of the filling material 3 which levels with the surface 1B of the carrier body 1. Various methods are already known from the prior art for applying the lens 4 to the optoelectronic component.
In a known method of production, the optical element is also applied when casting the LED with the transparent filling material by means of an appropriate mold. An optoelectronic component produced using this method is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,280, even though no details are given there of the formation of the filling material with the aid of different lens shapes. However, there are disadvantages in simultaneously applying the lens shape when casting with the transparent material, and these reside, in particular, in the removal from the mold and in the forces that act on the contact made with the conductor ribbons. These forces are produced by the relatively large quantity of filling material, which also exerts higher forces on the contacts during thermal stress.
A further method of production for optoelectronic components described above includes firstly casting the recess of the carrier body with the transparent filling material, and subsequently applying the optical element separately to the surface of the filling material. Examples of such methods are described in more detail, for example, in DE 197 55 734 A1 and DE 199 18 370 A1. However, it is a disadvantage of this method that an additional process step of applying the lens is required, and that the method is sensitive to high tolerances during flat casting of the filling material and/or during placing of the lenses and with reference to the adhesion of the lenses on the transparent filling material.